Flu nasal spray questions

[Whitehousecottage]

I know I was stupid, but I didn’t get my DS (7) the nasal flu spray and I never have. Under the current circumstances and the fact we had really bad flu in January I have decided to take him to the GP and have it done. I didn’t consent when the school sent the email out in October (I know I’m stupid) I’m having a change of heart since reading up on it all and kind of realising my mistakes.
FYI he’s had other jabs. I just wasn’t convinced on flu.

He’s going on Monday for the nasal spray. I’ve got a couple of questions, if people could answer without being nasty or sarcastic I would appreciate it, I have autism and I struggle with knowing what’s real and what isn’t. I find it difficult with lots of opposing info coming at me.

1. Are there any common side effects? He has his school Christmas party the following day and I don’t want him to miss it. Plus we are going to my parents for Christmas a week after he’s having it done.

2. Does it give them a ‘live’ dose of the flu? If so, can it spread to myself or my partner through droplets? we all had the flu in January and it was horrendously awful.

3. This is my biggest concern - if he is to catch flu just before he gets the spray (e.g. it’s in his system but hasn’t yet shown symptoms) or he catches it a few days after he’s had the spray, before protection starts…will that trigger a worse case of flu for him because he’s had a mini version already put into his body?

Sorry if these questions sound strange or weird but I genuinely want to know.

The flu jab is the safest way to get him immunised. The super flu going round isn’t one of the strains in the flu jab so it won’t protect him from it, but it will increase the chances that if he does catch the super flu, he is less likely to need to go to hospital.

If he is asthmatic, he can’t have the nasal spray, he must have the jab.

If he is asthmatic, he can’t have the nasal spray, he must have the jab.

This isn't true in Ireland, my kids have asthma and get the nasal one. Maybe not during a flare up?

1. May be mildly unwell for a day or e.g..off form, runny nose
3. No, they can't get it if they are already sick with a temperature, but if they are incubating it, the body will still start build antibodies from the vaccine . I nursed my dd all weekend and got the vaccine on Monday and somehow didn't catch it.

I'll be honest.

First time mine had it- they were both unwell with a cold a few few days after. Quite unwell fever etc.

But since then I made them have it every year and they seem ok now.

Also with the nasal flu. They might be sniffly with a runny nose for a couple.of days.

It is alicve vaccine but I do think there is a small chance others can catch the flu- it's why they ask if they live with anyone who is immunocompromised.

It was true for my asthmatic kids in England.

My two have always had the flu vaccine spray and have never had side effects from having it. I had the vaccine as well this year and was totally fine as well. Last year my dd came down with flu (vaccinated) and she had a mild case of it, off school for one day. My ds and dh (vaccinated) didn't get it. I caught it off her (not vaccinated) and it wiped me out for weeks. This year we are all vaccinated.

If it helps my 4 kids have had it for several years in a row and not one of them has ever had a single side effect. I know that's anecdotal but I'd say they're much less likely to get side effects with it than with the jabs they get as babies/toddlers

My 3 were all fine no symptoms after. My daughter (who had a mild stuffy nose the day of the vaccine so I dont know if she got the full dose) caught the flu but it was very mild and she recovered quickly compared to most of her classmates. Half the class including teacher were off and quite a few were hospitalised. My daughter had a fever aches and a cough so I kept her home for 5 days until she was much better. Her brothers didn’t even have any symptoms and avoided it completely. I believe the flu nasal spray really did avoid a much worse illness for my daughter and prevented my sons from catching it.

my DD12 has had it every year except this year. She was due to get it 3 weeks ago at school went to school completely fine, went down with her friends to get the spray and they refused because she was none stop coughing. She came home and told me and that night she became very unwell with flu. 2 weeks off school a trip to the doctors and steroids. She went back to school on Monday still coughing and wiped out every night. Once her cough is much better I’ll be getting it booked in. Apart from maybe 24 hours of a runny nose and a mild temp she’s usually okay. X

Oh and the only reason she went back to school is most symptoms have gone but it had the school on my case about her attendance even though they knew she was really poorly and admitted half the teachers and 40% of the pupils were off too xx

No, flu can be incredibly dangerous for kids. They’re at higher risk of complications than healthy adults.

I'm sorry but this is the second thread in two days from someone who says they're autistic and cannot interpret information about whether the flu jab is safe.

Just read the NHS website? Surely that is better than trying to interpret a series of posts about the vaccine from randoms on the internet, some of whom will be anti vaxxers!

And yes get your kid the nasal spray. It is free and may prevent a very nasty illness in your child. It's as simple as that.

In your opinion. Is that based on factual medical based evidence or something you read in the daily mail?

I’m having a bit of a wobble today. He’s due to get the spray at 5:30pm, I keep reading contradictory things and I’m concerned about him having a reaction/becoming unwell. He’s so looking forward to his school Christmas party tomorrow, I’ll feel really bad if he misses it.

I don't know of anyone that has reacted to the nasal vaccine strongly enough that they couldn't carry on as normal the next day.

If he catches flu and is unvaccinated he's more likely to get more unwell. I had flu as a teen before they did the vaccines and was in bed for a week with fevers and aches and too tired to attend school for another week after that. I wish I'd had the vaccine.

I promise he will be fine. Give him a dose of calpol if you feel like he needs it but make sure you keep the appt

feel free to ask the nurse lots of questions to alleviate your concerns if you need to

You sound exceptionally anxious about this. Are you always such a worrier? Do you have health anxiety?
My kids had it every year they were eligible. Never an issue.

The only worry you need to have about it being a live virus in the spray is if he is around the elderly or someone who is immunosuppressed. DH is the latter so our kids always have the jab instead each year.

@MintDogTell that to the father whose (previously healthy) unvaccinated daughter is in ICU with encephalitis caused by flu.

Have never noticed a reaction from my kids, compared to being struck down by flu it's a risk I think it's well worth taking.